The law refers every business to keep record of any accident occurring within their premises, in relation to employees as well as visitors. This requirement of the law has made the accident book an integral part of legal obligations, contents of accident books being treated as a record for RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations).
The police might not respond to an accident, if there are no injuries involved. This makes it important for all of us to know how we can make an accident report. Many jurisdictions issue accident report form that we can keep in our vehicles. The report lets all the enforcing organizations (local authorities, HSE and all other regulatory bodies) know about any injury, death, occupational disease and dangerous instance that have taken place enabling them to assess how and where these risks have occurred and whether these situations should be investigated. Here comes the role and importance of an accident report book.
Accident book at work is essential for all business and educational institutions, as every business in the United Kingdom is needed to record each and every accident involving employees, visitors and contractors at the workplace.
Such books enable all the requisite information to be recorded in a single place thus ensuring that all kinds of essential information are rightly captured at the time of the occurrence. A book maintained for the records of accidents also allows compliance with RIDDOR that necessitates recording and reporting of deaths and serious injuries at the workplace.
How to write an Accident Report, if you do not have an Accident Report Form:
1.Date, Time and Place: The first and foremost step for reporting an accident is to make note of (a) date and time of the accident, and (b) precise location where it took place.
2. Names: Names of all those who have been involved in the accident should be noted.
3.Work and Home Phone Numbers and Addresses: The work and home addresses and phone numbers of the employees, contractors and visitors (if known) who have been victims in the accident should be noted.
4.Describe the unknown victims: Unknown visitors involved in an accident within your workplace premises need to be described as much in detail as possible. If the victim is dead or seriously injured or unconscious, you must mention his or her gender, approximate height, approximate age, approximate weight, hair color, and any other visibly distinct feature like a tattoo or any other mark.
5.Describe the accident: A precise and clear description of the accident mentioning how it might have occurred and how it affected the victims must be included.
Accident books must have record cards that can be detached for storage in safe and secure location in compliance with the Data Protection Act. Such book should be kept in a visible and fixed location and completed record cards should be stored in a dedicated accident folder. The person responsible for a workplace, like the employer, must keep records of reportable incidents, diseases, and other occurrences specified by the HSE for demonstrating compliance.
